Soft tops for convertible vehicles are known from practical experience in which an outer convertible top fabric may be stretched by a plurality of linkage parts over the interior of the vehicle, the soft top being displaceable between a closed position and an open position. In the open position, the soft top is stowed in a portion of the vehicle bodywork provided therefor in the rear of the convertible vehicle. In order to ensure a sufficient tension of the convertible top fabric in the closed position of the convertible top, it is known to provide a tensioning bow which is fixed to a rear portion of the convertible top fabric and tensions the convertible top fabric in the direction of the rear of the vehicle. Generally, the tensioning bow is connected at its ends to main bearing units of the convertible top arranged respectively to the side or connected to further linkage elements of the convertible top and is forcibly guided in its motion by a mechanical coupling to parts of the convertible top linkage.
During production of convertible vehicles it is usual nowadays to provide the convertible top, i.e. the linkage, the convertible top fabric, possibly a rear window fixed in the convertible top fabric as well as drive elements for a driven positive control device of the convertible top, as a prefabricated sub-assembly, for installation in the motor vehicle body at the point of assembly. In this connection it is a drawback that the opening provided in the vehicle body for receiving the convertible top is generally dimensioned to be quite a tight fit so that, in particular, the tensioning bow may not be inserted into the opening without difficulty. Hitherto, it was necessary to release the tensioning bow from further elements of the convertible top, to insert it separately into the vehicle body, to fasten it there and subsequently to connect it again to the remaining convertible top parts. This method is complicated, time-consuming and results in high costs.
DE 100 39 220 A1 discloses a soft top for a convertible vehicle comprising a convertible top linkage, which has a plurality of hoops arranged transversely in the direction of travel. In particular, the hoops arranged to the front in the direction of travel are of multi-part configuration and comprise a main segment substantially spanning the vehicle transverse axis, as well as at the ends of the main segment one respective pivotable segment. The pivotable segments are connected by means of turn-and-slide joints to the main segment. In order to move the convertible top from a closed position, in which the convertible top fabric is tensioned by the convertible top linkage, into the stowed position, initially the pivotable segments are displaced in a linear manner in the direction of the main segment, whereby the tensioning of the convertible top fabric is released. Subsequently, the pivotable segments are pivoted onto the main segment in order to reduce the stowage space for the convertible top. It is a drawback that it is not possible for the convertible top to be inserted in a simple manner into an opening of the vehicle body provided for the convertible top, during an assembly process of the convertible vehicle.
DE 10 2006 036 658 B3 discloses a tensioning bow for a convertible top which consists of two segments which are connected by means of a resilient portion attached in the middle of the tensioning bow. By means of the resilient portion, it becomes possible to deform the tensioning bow resiliently when assembled in a motor vehicle body, whereby the tensioning bow may be inserted more easily into a vehicle body opening which is smaller relative to the dimensions of the tensioning bow. It is a drawback that for the deformation process the tensioning bow has to be released from the remaining linkage parts of the convertible top, which leads to a complicated and time-consuming assembly of the tensioning bow.
DE 103 43 128 A1 discloses a convertible top comprising a tensioning bow which is configured as a floating bow. The tensioning bow is able to be displaced between a lowered position when the convertible top is open and a raised position when the convertible top is closed, the convertible top fabric being tensioned by the tensioning bow when the convertible top is closed. The raised position of the tensioning bow and thus the tensioning of the convertible top fabric may be adjusted by means of an adjusting device. It is noteworthy that the tensioning bow is arranged both in the lowered position and in the raised position below a portion of the vehicle body, and is covered thereby. For installing the tensioning bow in the vehicle body, therefore, a relatively large installation space is necessary in order to guide the tensioning bow into its position below the bodywork portion.